George- g



G. G. FLOYD.

YOKE FOR DRAW BARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. 1918.

1 23,260. Patented De 0.' 2, 1919.

UNITED STATES PA E T OFFICE.

GEORGE G. FLOYD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

YOKE FOR DRAW-BARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed May 6, 1918. Serial No. 232,806.

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented'certain new anduseful Improvements in Yokes for Draw-Bars, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to yokes for draw bars, and to means for connecting the same to couplers. I

One of the objects of this invention iswto obtain and maintain maximum shoulder-engagement between a draw bar yoke and coupler butt under conditions where there is a variation in dimensions.

Another object .is to provide a draw bar yoke being equipped in av manner to meet the requirements for successful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed in the figures of the drawings, in which l igure 1 is a plan view of my improved coupler connected with the butt end of a coupler;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3

front elevation of the same;

Figz' lis a fragmentary bottom plan view of the means for retaining the band in locked position on the yoke arms; and,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail bottom plan view of the bifurcated end of the lower yoke arm.

From the drawings it will be noted that I have provided a yoke 10 having upper and lower members 11 and 12 joined at their rear by a transverse member 13, and

- intermediate their ends by transverse members 1+ and 15. Projecting forwardly from the transverse member 15 and forming extensions of the members 11 and 12, are arms 16 and 17 having shoulders 18 and 19, respectively. These shoulders are adapted to cooperate with shoulders 20 and 21 formed on the butt 22 of a coupler shank 23.

As a result of shrinkage of the coupler butt and of the yoke arms, sufficient engagement is not always obtained between the shoulders formed on such parts. By means of my invention I obtain maximum shoulder engagement at all times regardlessof shrinkage conditions. In this connection it will be noted that the space between the {112mg 16 and 17 is sufficiently great to receive a relatively large coupler butt, the arms 16 and 17 being capable of being sprung in wardly to'a position until the shoulders of the arms and butt may have maximum engagement. To maintain this maximum engagement, I have provided a closed band 21, the upper part of which is received by a groove 25 in the forward part of arm 16 and the lower part of the closed band has formed preferably integrally therewith a theaded pin 26 which occupies the opening 27 between the wings 28 7 pin 26 is a nut 29, by means of which the band may be drawn down tightly to maintain the shoulders in locking position. It will be noted that the wings 28 are provided with projections 30, behind which is mounted a locking plate 31,which is clamped between the wings :28 and the nut 29, said plate having a struck-up portion 32 which may be shifted into a locking position after the nut 29 has been squared up, as shown in FigsQ, 3 and 4. By means of this looking arrangement, the nut is prevented from turning in either direction.

In assembling the parts, theband 2%tis slipped over the coupler shank and the coupler butt placed between th arms 16 and 17, after which the latter are sprung the desired amount and the, band is placed in thegroove25 and pin 26 in the opening 27, whereupon the locking plate and the nut may be applied for drawing the shoulders on the arms 16 and 17 and the butt into maximum engagement with each other and maintained in such position to meet the requirements for operating conditions.

What I claim as new is:

1. In combination, a yoke having-arms with shoulders thereon, one of said arms having a groove and the other an open ended slot, said arms being capable of being sprung toward each other, a-solid band received by said groove and having an integrally formed threaded pin received by saidslot, and a threaded member for engaging said pin for drawing the arms toward each other whereby the shoulders thereof may be moved into locking engagement with an associated coupler butt. 2

2. In combination, a yoke having arms, one of which has an opening and laterally extending projections, a band associated with said arms and having a threaded pin of the bifurcated end of the arm 17. Associated with the threaded received by said opening, a nut engaging said threaded pin for drawing the arms toward each other, and a locking pliite interposed between one of said arms and said nutand being located behind said projections and having a struck-up portion forlocking the nut in position.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 29th day of April, 1918.

GEORGE G. FLOYD.

Witnesses:

"CHAS. L. BYRON,

C. M. OBERBECK. v 

